Sarah Simi Cohen, Ph.D.

Trying to make sense of the ways we organize and show up for this work.

#academicsky #highered

Is anyone else concerned with the way #ACPA is framing the conversation around the LBCC boycott and the labor union? How are folks feeling as they navigate the moral/ethical stance of attending while an active boycott is happening? I know personally, I will never and can never cross a picket line.

Interact with/view certain community spaces and profiles of those I have lost.
Any similar feelings? Any suggestions?

#grief #queergrief

Beyond the scope of many other resources/bring attention to them?
Thinking of those who are elderly, in rural areas, disabled, in mourning, etc.
I know that there's many other resources and platforms that people are actively embracing, however I find so much grief in not being able to (2/3)

How are y'all navigating the grief of wanting to delete Meta and other social media platforms when there are so many memories of loved ones who have passed embedded throughout? Entire profiles of their existence? Groups for survivors, community building, and education that reach communities (1/3)

Although it's hard for me to see or feel all the time, I think that's part of the process. We aren't meant to. But somehow, when I am unable to, other people are. And that alone brings me hope.

However, in spite and despite of this, I continue to do this work, dream, and build community with those in and out of higher education. I'm so grateful to the dreamers, activists, possibility models, grassroot organizers, and friends who have shown me (us) that different futures are possible.

As someone who has been an independent scholar and activist over the past year, doing service industry and gig work, primarily for survival, but also due to egregious policies and climate, it has been difficult to find and maintain hope for our field and collective futures.

Who/what gives you hope in the field? What do your dreams look like today? How do you see them changing tomorrow? 6 months?

#highereducation #highered #edchat #dreaming #academicsky

If you do education policy or civil rights issues in a blue state, poke around and listen to the conversations. Trans kids are not safe even with democrat controlled government.

“I’m here for trans joy and trans love. For me, my hope is that trans people are able to fill up their trans-o-meters and connect in meaningful ways, and also to leave this place with a sense of urgency to expand those connections as much as possible”

Planned Action for LGBTQ+ & Allies in Response to Democrats Capitulating on Trans Rights As most of you are aware, since Kamala Harris’s election loss (which trans people were not in charge of nor responsible for), Democratic politicians and pundits have been signaling that they plan to t...

Democrats' backsliding on LGBTQ+ rights must stop now! here is my proposed action. Please share widely and please let me know if you plan to participate! #LGBTQNotGoingBack
on Substack: juliaserano.substack.com/p/planned-ac...
or Medium: juliaserano.medium.com/planned-acti...

Adding to my list to read! Thanks for sharing!

Have so much fun!!

I've heard that happening a lot more to both professors and student affair professionals, even when posting on their personal pages. Its blatantly egregious.

This is far beyond over-compliance. Removing words like race and equity from course titles is disingenuous and quite frankly terrifying. Of course they target schools of Ed first 🙄

Academic freedom is fully at risk and under attack.

We all hold a responsibility to do this work and enact these policies and practices.

Please don't let this be your last stop in actualizing the work, but a step in the journey towards collective liberation and equity in our campuses and beyond.

#AcademicChatter #LGBTQCentersSaveLives

Our discussion today stressed that supporting trans & nonbinary people isn't just the work of resource centers, but it *must* be everyone's responsibility.

As centers close and continue to face closure, we must ask: Who will do this work when we can't?

In 2014 the Consortium released the original document focused on students. A decade later, the updated document expands to include faculty & staff. As project manager for this document, I see it as both a labor of love & a crucial call to action.

Access it here: www.lgbtcampus.org/policy-and-p...

Two people siding on either side of a screen that reads Serving and Supporting Trans and Nonbinary People in US Higher Education. Sarah stands on the left wearing a Texas shirt with the trans flag, Jesse stands on the right in a lavender button up shirt.

Three people siding on the left of a screen that reads Serving and Supporting Trans and Nonbinary People in US Higher Education. Jesse stands on the left in a lavender button up shirt. Sarah stands in the middle wearing a Texas shirt with the trans flag, Nicole stands on the right wearing a blueish green jumpsuit.

Grateful to have had the opportunity to come to the Spectrum Center to co-facilitate a conversation with (almost!) Dr. Jesse Beal on Serving and Supporting Trans and Nonbinary People in US Higher Education.

This work is vital, especially in today's sociopolitical climate #HigherEd #QTScholars

I'd love to be added to this! Thank you for creating this space!

“…to suggest we should compromise on the rights of trans people, for instance, and all of the other critical issues we care most about, is unacceptable. It is shameful and cowardly. We cannot abandon the most vulnerable communities to assuage the most powerful.” @roxanegay.bsky.social

Now more than ever this work and these conversations must happen, and I hope you can join in on Monday 💜

Not only do I get to see some mentors and colleagues who have been instrumental to me, but I have the honor of co-leading a vital conversation on a report I helped manage with the Consortium: Supporting Trans and Nonbinary Populations in Higher Education.

A picture of my face (white person with glasses) wearing a mask doing a thumbs up on a plane

University of Michigan bound! Surprised at how excited I was to be up *this* early on a Sunday.

Join the community of Queer & Trans Studies in Education.
Please reply to this post if you want to be added!!
go.bsky.app/VitwfUt

Thank you! Excited and grateful to be in community with y'all 💞

I'd love to join!

I was horrible with Twitter because it was so confusing for me, but this seems to be so far easier to manage!

Maybe I'll be better at this than Twitter?